Saudi Businessman Accused in Plot to Kidnap Countryman

A Saudi businessman who hired a Santa Ana private detective to help him collect a $1-million debt has been arrested by FBI agents and charged with soliciting a kidnaping.

The bizarre tale unfolding in federal court is either an intricate kidnaping plot or a serious cultural misunderstanding by a foreign businessman who thought he was dealing with police officers.

Talal Mahrous, 33, was arrested Wednesday at a downtown Los Angeles hotel moments after he reportedly handed $5,000 in traveler’s checks to private detective Robert Quintana and an FBI agent posing as Quintana’s partner.

Mahrous, who owns a manufacturing company in Saudi Arabia, allegedly offered the pair $100,000 to kidnap, drug and transport Mishaal K. Adham of Beverly Hills to Saudi Arabia.

Adham, described by an FBI spokesman as a wealthy Saudi businessman, lives in a quiet cul-de-sac on Williams Lane in Trousdale Estates. He could not be reached for comment, but a neighbor said he moved into his home about a year ago and has kept a low profile.

Mahrous’ attorney, Victor B. Kenton, said Mahrous has given him documents in Arabic that describe Adham’s debts and legal problems. He said Adham apparently gave Mahrous worthless checks.

“It appears he (Mahrous) wasn’t going about this with criminal intent,” Kenton said. Rather, he said, Mahrous may have thought he was contacting law enforcement officials when he called the private detectives.

The tale began when Mahrous and his wife arrived in Los Angeles about a week ago for a combination business and pleasure trip, Kenton said.

On Sunday, Mahrous apparently used the Yellow Pages to find a private eye, Kenton said. He chose “L.A. Private Detectives,” a Santa Ana agency that goes by the initials “LAPD.”

Mahrous was put in contact with Robert Quintana, who agreed to meet him at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Monday morning, according to court records.

According to the complaint filed Wednesday in federal court, Mahrous told Quintana at that meeting that he needed help to bring Adham back to Saudi Arabia, where “Adham would be taken care of by the police.”

Mahrous said he was willing to pay Quintana $250,000, but they later settled on an advance of $100,000, with the rest to come later, the complaint said. The plan called for Quintana to kidnap Adham, drug him if necessary and fly from Los Angeles to New York with Mahrous piloting a private plane. From New York, either Quintana or his partner was to accompany Mahrous and Adham to Saudi Arabia, where they would be met by the police, according to the complaint.

Quintana and FBI Special Agent John W. Warren told Mahrous that they would be in “serious trouble” if they were caught and suggested that Mahrous use diplomatic channels to return Adham to Saudi Arabia, the complaint said.

“Mahrous responded that he was unaware of the proper legal channels and felt that the kidnaping was the most expeditious way of recovering his $1 million,” according to the complaint.

Kenton said that the FBI agent’s discussions with his client were taped but that he had not yet been able to review the tapes.

An FBI spokesman said Adham is aware of the alleged kidnaping plot, but he declined to elaborate.

Quintana did not return phone calls on Thursday. An “LAPD” spokesman said Quintana had been working all night and was unavailable for comment.

Meanwhile, Mahrous is being held at Terminal Island federal prison while he awaits a bail hearing today.